A20559:598
The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A…
The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A familiar and learned exposition on the ten commandments gathered from the mouth of a faithful pastor by a gracious young man, sometime scholar in Cambridge.The bright star which leadeth wise men to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, A familiar and learned exposition on the ten commandements gathered from the mouth of a faithfull pastor by a gracious young man, sometime scholler in Cambridge.
London: printed by John Harison for Thomas Man, 1603London: printed by Iohn Harison for Thomas Man, 1603
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
This catching men by fraud, and hunting them with nets, this is a crying sin, and will let God have no rest till he take vengeance upon those that use it. And thus Ahab got Naboths vineyard. He would fain have it from him, & would not take it from him by plain and open violence, for fear of the speech of people and infamy in the world, but yet he was content to let Jezebel have his ring, and she indites a very colourable and ⟨p. 70⟩holy letter. There was an ill report of a foul fault done amongst them, that Naboth should be blasphemer of Gods majesty, and a wicked traitor against his prince, but yet for fear least mens tongues should be slanderous, and lies should go abroad, a judicial proceeding must be taken, and least any thing should be done without advice and good counsel, rashly and headily, a fast must be proclaimed, and the people must be called together, and there with fasting and prayer the thing must be tried orderly, and in form of law. For good Ahab and good Jezebel were loath to do any wrong, or to judge one upon a false surmise and rumour; therefore that the truth might appear, let the elders of the city search out the matter, and find the truth in all equal manner, let the accusers come face to face, and so let them according as they saw in conscience they were bound, proceed to pass to sentence. And so they did, and there were men at hand to forswear themselves, and now sith that all things were so plain and evident, and matters went so clear against him, alas they were sorry but they could not chose but deal indifferently, and according to law Naboth must have that punishment that his foul fact deserved, he must forfeit his life and goods to the King. And thus Ahab got the vineyard. Here we see was daubing and painting with fair shows and goodly words, equity, conscience, and religion, and all to carry out murder and theft; but did this make it a whit the better? nay this made it far more abominable in Gods sight.
This catching men by fraud, and hunting them with nets, this is a crying sinne, and will let God haue no rest till he take vengeance vpon those that vse it. And thus Ahab got Naboths vineyard. He would faine haue it from him, & would not take it from him by plain and open violence, for feare of the speech of people and infamie in the world, but yet he was content to let Iesabel haue his ring, and she indites a verie coulerable and ⟨p. 70⟩